40,000 sign NHS protest petition

Campaigners say they have more than 40,000 petition signatures

More than 40,000 people have signed a petition opposing hospital changes in the South East, campaigners have said.

The campaign group, Support the Princess Royal, staged a rally in Haywards Heath on Saturday attended by more than 7,000 people.

On Monday, the group said its petition now stood at 40,454 signatures.

NHS chiefs said changes were because the running of hospitals was changing, care could be provided elsewhere and finance pressures had to dealt with.

Saturday's rally was part of demonstrations across the country against NHS reforms.

In Haywards Heath, both police and campaigners estimated the number of people attending as more than 7,000.

'Different role'

John Wilderspin, from the newly-formed West Sussex Primary Care Trust (PCT), has said that options considered would be "realistic and deliverable" and the trust would listen to people's views.

Changes in healthcare provision across Surrey and Sussex have led to fears that services at the Princess Royal could be under threat.

Two possible scenarios being explored would see the Princess Royal having "a different role" than presently, with two out of the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, St Richard's Hospital in Chichester and Worthing Hospital retaining their A&E units.

A programme to "shape the future for health services" in the two counties will involve a full public consultation from mid-November once firm proposals have been made.